Chapter 9: Surprise
"But, I'm not tired!" Boruto retorted, attempting to wiggle out of Naruto's arms to no avail.
It was the 3rd time already he had gotten out of bed, eagerly wanting to supposedly count down the minutes until his 7th birthday even if it wasn't until next week.
Naruto restrained back a mix of a yawn and grunt, frustration mounting at his son's stubbornness. "Fine you can stay up, though you need to stay in your room!"
A few of the elder Hyugas had already raised an eyebrow at seeing him having to carry him up back upstairs again after being awoken once, questioning why so much noise was being made close to 11 at night.
Boruto crossed his arms as he placed him back within his sheets and pillows. "I'll stay in my room, but you can't make me sleep! I know my rights!"
Naruto just gave him a sleepy smile, half nodding along with his complaining as he moved to close back his door.
He waits 10 minutes circling around his bedroom before peeking his head in to see Boruto slumped against his pillows, light snores echoing out into the room.
Good, that didn't take as long as he thought! He should've gone with Hinata's suggestion of giving him tea with milk the first time.
"You know, he's probably going to do the same thing again tomorrow night. Himawari may even join him if he can persuade her." Hinata voices as he returns back to bed.
"Don't remind me." He sighs and Hinata scoots closer, grin pressing against his neck.
"What should we even do for their birthdays?" Her muffled voice asked, sighing as his arm wrapped around her to keep her warm.
It seemed like their future selves left them big shoes to fill, past celebrations of stories they described sounding like lavish affairs of presents and food from Konoha's higher end restaurants catering their favorite meals.
"We'll think of something." Naruto muttered, moving to rest his head lightly against hers.
There were too many other things on their plate to worry about, Yamato-sensei's insistence they meet before the week was over to finish closing costs on the house, meeting with the toads Gamakichi had personally picked out to be in his spy intel…
'One thing at a time.'
Brightness strikes at his eyes hours later, light tugging on his arms from both sides pulling him from sleep. He hears Hinata's voice floating somewhere in the distance, telling the duo beside him to lower their voices.
Just another typical morning.
"Shh, Mama said you're going to wake Papa!" Himawari hisses.
"You're the one who made all that noise crawling up the bed!" Boruto argues back.
And Naruto stirs to see his kids on opposite sides of him, tiny hands gripping at his sleeves threatening to create a series of tears.
"What's going on?" He slurs out causing the duo to immediately let go and begin talking at once.
"Papa, you're still going to make the birthday breakfast pancakes for us right?! Bolt said you forgot how to do them, but that isn't true! You've made them last year and the year before that one too, the ones with the sprinkles and lots of syrup!" Himawari questioned, gazing at him urgently for a response.
"No, Hima we have to show him how to do it now or else he'll never remember in time!" Boruto insists, but whatever else he has to say is swallowed up by Himawari's continued descriptions of various birthday traditions neither he nor Hinata have any idea of.
Naruto holds his hands up to stop them as their voices rise, gesturing for them to give him 'hush bubbles' to settle down.
"Alright I'm going to talk first, okay? Papa doesn't remember how the birthday pancakes are made, though you can show me and Mama how it's done Hima in the kitchen if we have the right ingredients. Boruto, I haven't forgotten that your birthday is next Sunday on the 21st and that Himawari's is about 2 weeks later on the 6th. I know you two are excited, though you have to be patient with us in remembering all the birthday customs we've done before." He explained.
It was bit odd to him that they wanted to do so many activities before the actual days of their births and he racked his mind briefly on how he would live up to whatever treats or games his future-self had done with them.
His own birthday had never been a cause for celebration after all, he had little to truly go on the more he thought about it…
'But Bolt and Hima's births are reasons to celebrate. I'll try and spoil them in the best way possible. Even if it isn't as grand or expensive as what they're used to!' Naruto determined with a smile.
To his relief, Himawari is immediately placated as a wide grin spreads upon her face. Blue eyes roam back to Hinata, hopping off the bed to hug at her legs.
"Mama, let's go get started then! We have to get Grandpa and Auntie too to help us get the eggs, milk, flour, sugar…" Himawari counted off, tapping her chin in thought at anything else they could be missing.
Hinata lifted her up, eliciting a squeal of delight as she nuzzled at her cheeks. "Don't worry, we'll check the cookbook to make sure we have everything we need."
She gives a brief nod to Naruto they'll meet them at the dining table before they turn to go downstairs, giggling falling away as the quiet of the manor returned.
Naruto turned his attention back to Boruto, startled he hadn't moved to join them in preparing the sugary confection. His eagerness from a moment ago had been seemingly drained away, letting out a yawn before he settled himself into his side.
'Was he just putting on a show for us just now; maybe to not not worry Himawari and Hinata?'
"You okay Bolt?" Naruto questioned, frowning at his lack of a quick response. Sapphire orbs open for the briefest of seconds to stare up at him before closing again.
"Tired." He replied after a few minutes, tugging on his left ear in annoyance before sighing.
Naruto arched a brow, unsure what to make of his abrupt change in behavior. It made sense he was sleepy, choosing to stay up until nearly 11:30 the past few nights despite his and Hinata's protests.
"That's what happens when you don't go to bed on time like we told you too." He muses, though he still can't shake the niggling feeling Boruto isn't being fully honest with him.
Maybe his past nights of staying up wasn't just excitement for his birthday, but that he simply couldn't sleep due to his ears or something else bugging him too much…
His cheeks have become a ruddy pink, too noticeable even with the sunlight pouring into the room and he retracts back a bit too quickly when he feels his forehead and brushes against his reddening ear.
And Naruto lifts him up into his lap, waiting for his grouchiness take over that he's not a baby and he needs to be treated like an adult however all Boruto does is lean in, hands curling around his shoulders.
"I don't think you should go to school." He states at how warm he feels. He glances down over to his alarm clock: 7:25 stares back in him in bold red numbering. He was supposed to have head out to the Hokage office nearly an hour ago, but he hadn't ate breakfast with everyone in so long.
Boruto's eyes flash open at that, shaking his head wildly before wincing in pain from the action.
"No, we're supposed to do the balloon and magnet experiments today!"
Naruto only shakes his head, watching as his clock ticks towards 7:30.
Today's plans will have to be rearranged.
-X-
The first thing he smells is disinfectant, a painfully familiar array of chemicals that burns at his nose.
Well, the cleaning solutions of the Konoha's main hospital hadn't changed much over the years it seemed.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take him? The pharmacy is close by to the hospital and Mr. Ando will understand." Hinata asserted, concern flittering in her eyes as she brushed a hand through Boruto's hair.
"Oh, Bolt. You should've told us you weren't feeling well." She murmured, Boruto frowning and withering deeper into Naruto's arms.
"Mama, I didn't want you to worry." He grumbled, avoiding Himawari's alarmed expression as she tried to get his attention as well.
Why did Papa have to go and tell everyone? Now the normal ease of breakfast and morning routines at the manor had been halted and he shivered as he felt more gazes fall upon him.
"Must be something going around the school perhaps? Hima was sick not too long ago as well." Hiashi pointed out, Hanabi nodding beside him as she cleared off the rest of the plates from the table.
"That or he spent too much time outside during these colder weather days we've been having. Either way, they'll know what to do at the hospital." Hanabi notes.
Naruto turned back to Hinata, dropping a light kiss to her head making her cheeks burn at hearing her sister's giggle and father cough nearby.
"Don't worry, I know you'll be dealing with all those back orders now that those deliveries came in. Kakashi-sensei will understand if I'm a bit late; I can just get Shikamaru to update me on everything by the afternoon!" He reasoned.
Hinata pursed her lips, seeming to think it over as she gazed between him and their son. Boruto didn't seem like he was going to fight going the hospital anymore after Naruto's assurance he would take any shots with him as well…
"Okay then, but update me before you leave on what medicine Sakura or whichever doctor prescribes so I can fill it."
Hinata had given him directions on where the pediatric clinics and sections were, though the general busyness of the area was distracting. Monitors seemed to beep from every corner, phones buzzing amid a swirl of white coats and dark scrubs.
"Naruto?"
He turns towards the voice to find Kurenai studying him, Mirai in tow within her arms.
Crimson orbs roam from him to Boruto, smile lighting her face. "That must be the son I've heard so much about through the grapevine! Looks like you, but is behaving like a young Hinata." She notes at the boy's current refusal to meet her gaze.
A small laugh escaped him then before he nodded, Boruto only burying his head further into his shoulder at all the noise.
"Hey Kurenai-sensei! It's been quite a while. How've you been?" Naruto questioned.
Before she can answer Mirai curls a finger into her dark hair, cheeks pouting out. "Mama, you said we were going to get ice cream!"
Kurenai gently pulled her fingers back before they weaved any deeper. "Being loud won't get you any sweets at all. Remember what I told you earlier?"
Pausing in her huffing, Mirai nodded. "To be a good girl and be patient."
'Reminds me of Himawari.' Naruto noted at her disciplining, Mirai though was supposed to be older than his kids and yet right now she was only a toddler…
"Are you looking for the pediatric wing? I just finished with Mirai in getting her vaccines and yearly check-up." Kurenai questioned, bringing him back to his main priority as she gave him directions to head to the 3rd floor.
"I've been good to answer your earlier question. It can be a handful at times raising Mirai alone, however Shikamaru always checks up on us periodically if we need anything or to play and of course even Kiba and Shino have taken on babysitting and joining in for hide and seek and tag with her like it was their second jobs." Kurenai explained.
'Shikamaru playing hide and seek potentially? Even Shino?'
Such moments needed to be captured in photo!
"I know how difficult it can be to raise a child let alone two, but I've never seen Hinata look so determined and happy to take it on. You really do bring out new sides to her." Kurenai further went on, nostalgia lacing her voice.
Back to the beginning days of Team 8 and their early missions, before talks of war and the casualties that had taken place had hardened and destroyed what was left of childhood innocence…
Naruto only blinked, scratching at his cheek thoughtfully.
'Me, huh?'
He still sometimes wondered how it was him, how he was lucky enough to experience and see all the expressions and thoughts Hinata usually kept hidden from the world. They held shared secrets now only for between them, the little private jokes and looks that only they could understand.
A warm feeling settled across his chest, this wasn't the first time someone had mentioned to him how much Hinata seemed to brighten around him, how much he too had changed the closer they got…
"She came to me for advice the other day, you didn't know? Ah, maybe I've said too much then! Well, it wasn't a big deal. She just wanted to know what type of toys and foods Mirai liked to compare with Himawari and Boruto's tastes." Kurenai finished off.
And Naruto could picture it, Hinata with a notepad eagerly writing down all of Kurenai's suggestions, face reddening if Kiba or Shino were nearby to probe her with their own questions or words of advice.
Mirai began to fuss again and Kurenai rocked her before sending him a grin as she turned to go.
"Tell Hinata I said hello. Oh, and congrats on the two kids. I'm glad at least at some point you realized her and your own feelings!"
Naruto stiffened, face heating with nothing to say. Her statement caused a few others to stop and take notice of him, some eyes widening in curiosity as low murmurs filled the area. He picks up the pace again before anyone can start asking him questions, following her directions until he reaches the appropriate wing.
The rest of the time seems to pass in a blur, a nurse named Kazumi gestures for him and Boruto to follow her to the back. Boruto's apparent fever isn't too high to his relief and doctor Ueno's head to toe assessment confirms a middle ear infection.
"He'll be fine with a few days of antibiotics, ear drops, and pain medicine as needed. Just head back downstairs outside, the pharmacy is around the corner to pick it up." He explains, as he wrote it out each drug on a prescription pad.
Boruto sat up a bit off the examining table once he left and Naruto swiveled his chair toward him as he clung back onto him.
"We'll get to see Mama then, right?" He asks, voice prickly and softer than normal for him.
Naruto nods, glad to see a tiny grin etching back up his face despite the aches he had all over.
"Yup, we sure will!"
-X-
'It's too dark.'
This new house is nothing like Grandpa's.
Rain continues to patter in seemingly unending torrents against the windows and roof, moon too obscured by thunderous clouds and billows of thick fog vanishing buildings and even streetlights out of view. She had known the storms would be coming during dinner at the sight of dark clouds approaching along the horizon. Hinata had even ushered her inside early from playing in the garden, air growing stronger with the scent of dewdrops while dark clouds slowly began to eat away at the last bits of a pink and violet sunset far too fast.
But still, she hadn't been ready for it to be this bad.
And Himawari squeezed her panda plushie closer, sliding herself further into her blankets to hide from the crackles of lightning.
Naruto had done his best in trying to replicate her old room as he finished her bedtime story and tucking her in though there were still untouched boxes in each corner, posters and stuffed animals that had yet to be placed in their proper homes.
"Well you two, this is going to be our new home from now on! It may look a little empty, but we'll fill it pictures and decorations soon enough!" Naruto announced proudly.
Boruto looked around in awe, heading up the stairs almost two at a time to pick out his room eagerly.
Himawari held back for a bit from following him, looking over the living room and kitchen areas. It was so barren, only polished wood floors and blank cream walls…
"I can't believe it got finished so quickly. We were lucky the moving company could bring in the bedroom furniture on such short notice." Hinata murmured.
Naruto shrugged, wrapping an arm loosely around her. "What can I say, the magic of connections really takes your places!"
"Don't you mean Yamato-sensei's connections?" Hinata giggled before her snickering fell away to his lips pressing against her neck.
"Well, it doesn't matter really! To celebrate our new freedom we should break in the master bedroom tonight." Naruto purred out.
Whatever else Papa had said had made Mama's face grow a deep scarlet.
Would Papa and Mama be mad if she woke them up? No, she needed to be a big girl.
A low rumble of thunder returned, white flashing through the closed blinds and Himawari tossed off her blankets hurriedly.
With Mr. Panda in hand, she tiptoed through the darkness listening for a familiar snore. It comes through in another lull of quiet and she pushes her away inside the adjacent bedroom.
"Bolt?" Himawari whispered as stepped to the front of his bed, poking at his cheek until cobalt orbs opened with a frown.
"Huh, what?" Boruto slurred out. He glances around until he sees Himawari waving her stuffed panda toy's arms up rapidly to get his attention.
There's a jitteriness to her behavior he can't ignore, sliding his covers off quickly to pat the spot beside him.
"Hima, is something wrong?" He asks when she doesn't move to immediately sit down.
Trembling she nodded, twisting her legs back and forth nervously.
"Potty." She whispered urgently.
Boruto reaches for her hand then, keeping a firm grip until he sees the faint orange glow of the nightlights set out for them striking against a wall to the left.
"It's in there. I'll wait outside for you." He states, guiding her inside before closing the door for her.
Minutes later she returns, taking his hand back before halting when it's clear he's taking her back to her room.
"No, I want to go to your bed!" She sputtered loudly, before quickly slapping her hands over her mouth.
Boruto said nothing for a moment, Himawari fidgeting under his stare that he would call her a baby. She balled her hands into tiny fists against the sides of her pajamas, keeping their shivering out of view of him.
"What's wrong?" He instead coaxes her again.
She pointed to the rain falling in thin trickles now against the window when they entered back to his room, straightening herself up. "I needed to potty so I couldn't sleep…and I had a bad dream."
It wasn't a complete lie, she had drifted off for a moment or two only to awake with another low boom of thunder, of an unsettling feeling she was being watched through the rain that made her heartbeat rush to her ears…
"Can I stay here with you?" Himawari finally asked boldly.
Boruto merely shrugged, ears still feeling too full and drowsiness holding on to him to truly complain.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you from any monsters." He assures her quietly with a sleepy grin.
And Himawari beams, taking his statement as a go ahead to climb into his sea of blankets and pillows.
"One time I had this weird dream there were two Papa's and two Mamas coming to pick us up from school! The first Papa and Mama had short hair like we remember and the second one's had long hair. I didn't know which ones to go to before I woke up."
Boruto hummed he was listening as he settled down beside her, pushing a few more sheets her way to keep their sharing of covers equal. "There's only one Mama and Papa ya know."
"I was just saying!" Himawari huffs back.
A silence covers them then, rain quieting to a gentler patter as the wind rocked frail branches and leaves not tossed astray to the grass and streets.
"Hey, when will Papa and Mama remember everything? I don't like having to keep reminding them." Himawari whispers, fingers lightly gripping at the back of Boruto's shirt to keep him close.
A lump, like a rock compresses at Boruto's throat. Swallowing, he ignores the bristly sensation running straight down to his toes.
He won't let her see this anxiousness, this wondering he's been having too.
"They'll remember. They just have that one thing I saw before on TV…amnesia or something like that. It takes time for it to all come back." Boruto eventually responds.
But the answer feels dry as it slips out his tongue, forced.
And Himawari can clearly see through it, saying nothing more on the matter as she rolled over to him to stay warm.
-X-
"Haven't you ever wondered though?" Takeda murmured, pressuring Sugawara for answers.
Though he remained silent, refusing to indulge his supposedly silly questions.
They were meeting at this little café to discuss their next plans, to finally move from talk to actual action.
His hands itched to get moving, having stalked the grounds of Hyuga manor and its occupants enough.
"You have wondered at some point, haven't you? I knew it! You may not want to say it aloud, though you've been curious about seeing if those two kids really have these innate abilities they've yet to awaken. Maybe we can be that push or-"
"They're just children and such things aren't a part of our job." Sugawara cuts him off before he sees that hideous murky swirl fill his steely grey orbs.
His curiosity will be their undoing, a need to experiment and break apart any time breakers they capture as if they were puzzle pieces.
Or a game.
Takeda frowned, smile falling at the anger in his superior's tone and expression. How could he continue to show such a lack of interest in Lord Seventh's own children? They were rarely put in the spotlight after all, this would be a rare opportunity to see what skills and powers that were being kept from the public's eye.
He pursed his lips, biting down a rising smirk.
'Well, he never said anything about looking into it outside of work hours…'
"Well, we can't just ignore them forever. Ms. Tsutaya has mentioned that they like to throw class birthday parties for each child. It would be the perfect chance to strike or-"
"Or there would be too many eyewitnesses. You realize all the parents and faculty that would be in attendance, right? This isn't something we can just rush into, it needs to be planned out carefully step by step." Sugawara interrupts before he can go off on a tangent.
As he expects, Takeda sighs. But he hasn't been through as many cases as him, how dangerous it can be to act rashly especially in the face of a target who is trying to disrupt the flow of time and events on purpose.
But these kids aren't like past criminals, there tactics will need to be attuned to filling a child's desires. The fantastical dreams they have that can't normally be gifted or done in order to persuade them to come with them quietly…
"I'm going to go for it." Takeda states, pulling Sugawara back that this conversation isn't over.
That he isn't going to listen to orders.
Sugawara scowls, eyes narrowing as auburn meets grey.
"You're not even sure your little plan will 100% work, what makes you so confident? This could all blow up in your face and have our identities exposed! Do you realize that?" He growls, keeping his voice firm and steady from rising too loud.
Takeda only nods, ghost of a smile flitting against his lips.
"Commander like I said before, you haven't been around these children like I have. Well, at least not with Boruto. I know exactly the things he wants for his birthday, he hasn't been able to shut up about it during lunch or any break times."
'He'll listen; he has to. It isn't like he's come up with any better ideas than mine.' He bemuses to himself, taking a long sip of his coffee before it gets cold.
It does little in the face of the wind pelting them or this numbness on the tips of his fingers, though it doesn't matter.
He's used to it all by now, unfeeling in matters of the body and mind.
He gestures to their waitress as she makes her rounds back towards their table, waiting until both their cups are filled again.
"Fine, I have to make sure whatever crap you're planning doesn't immediately backfire." Sugawara snorts when he's sure with all the noises surrounding them no one will pick up on their conversation.
"Boruto only really seems to want one thing. It's easy to see why his parents haven't pushed it yet given his age though, but we can be the ones to fulfill it." Takeda begins, pulling a napkin aside to draw out the intricacies of his plan.
Sugawara leans in, realizing he's drawing various swords and kunai in detail.
Takeda looks up to meet his gaze, pleased he for once seems to be in agreement with where he wants to take this.
"He wants to be a ninja."
-X-
'Where should I put this one? That plant needs to go by the window so it can get plenty of sunlight, but I have no idea where Naruto wants me to put these ramen posters…' Hinata wondered, staring at an array of boxes the movers had brought in from his apartment.
The last of his belongings contained old clothes from his preteen years, dusty cups and bowls that had probably been hidden away in his tiny kitchen cabinets for years, and a few books on plants and training she could find a place for on the bookshelf or in the office.
However, where would she put the rest of these things? Miscellaneous objects like his old cracked frog alarm and a pair of rusty keys that didn't seem to open anything couldn't really see any use here she imagined.
Hinata spared a glance towards the living room clock, only a little past 1:30. Naruto wouldn't be back for a good couple of hours, most likely around evening time or potentially even later…
For a moment she pulled her mind away from the work to be done in organizing, gaze falling on observing their budding plant garden through the window from the sharps reds of the tulips to the cooler whites and blues of the lilies that Father had gifted them with as a house warming present. The off and on rains had helped them to truly bloom, sunshine today spilling trails of gold rays against the garden and into the house lighting specks of dust along edges and corners of the wood floor.
Yet another thing she would need to add to her mental list of chores.
"I'm home!"
And before Hinata can turn around warm arms envelop and tickle just slightly at her stomach, twirling her around to see bright azure eyes; Naruto is here early.
Hours early.
"Ah, welcome back!" Hinata smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifts her up off the ground giddily. A stream of kisses pepper her neck up to her lips and forehead, giggles bubbling up when he squeezes her to not let go just yet.
The first of so many welcome homes to come.
Naruto nuzzles his face against hers until they're both scarlet and breathless, laughter and mirth in his gaze as blue meets lavender.
When he eventually sets her back to Earth she feels lightheaded, thoughts running together that she should've prepared lunch, should've created smaller piles instead of the one large mess of items sprawled out from each package to check and see what they held.
Her face flushes pink as Naruto's gaze moves from her to his opened boxes of his personal belongings, smirk broadening across his face.
And Hinata knows she's been caught.
"What cha doing snooping through my stuff Hinata?!" He jokes lightheartedly, though it only makes her face burn even more so.
"Nothing, I was just trying to sort everything out!"
Naruto only arches a brow, picking up his trademark orange jacket from their academy days. Time and hours of training have created long tears, holes, and grass stains within the pockets and along the zipper, it even still smells faintly of ramen and sweat.
When he glances up again Hinata is staring at him curiously, lilac orbs softening.
"Did something happen?" She asks.
Naruto nods, grin slipping from his face as he becomes serious. He ruffles through his pocket before holding out a series of photographs to her, pictures of Himawari and Boruto at school playing with their peers or walking the halls.
"Gamataro and Gamaharu, the smaller toads Gamakichi recommended did a good job; as soon as they gave me these I came straight here. They kept to the shadows and were able to get pretty good descriptions and details of these guys without ever being noticed over the past week or so." He related.
Hinata nodded, carefully looking over each photo. An older man, with familiar streaks of grey in his hair appeared beside a younger man in one picture of Himawari and Boruto heading out of the school together. Their bodies were always in the distance attempting to blend in among the parents or other faculty, keeping to the corners and nearly out of view of the camera. She had seen this man before…
'It doesn't matter what you think.'
And her heart lurches, the same puzzled man from the pharmacy. The thinly veiled threat of everything that was to come he gave before disappearing…
He was part of the duo that had been stalking their children?
If she had known, she could've put a stop to him that day...pinpointed specific chakra points in her own version of warning him.
She looks up to Naruto then, grip tightening over the pictures as a flicker of crimson passes in his eyes.
"It's them." Hinata breathes out.
Naruto settles himself beside her, pointing to the last photograph that gives them the clearest picture of them.
This is what they'll go by.
"So, ready to turn the tables on them?"
-x-
New Year, New Chapter! Hmm, I didn't know so many people disliked Sarada and well the entire Uchiha family in general lol! Thinking on it and based on you guys responses, it would be quite difficult to add in any more children (especially since it doesn't seem logical that the other parents would be so careless to let the same thing happen twice) sorry to those who may have wanted that! There was more I wanted for this chapter, but I didn't want to cram it in. (More Time Police stuff and Future Naruto and Hinata for next time!)
Anyways I really appreciated all the feedback, keep letting me know your thoughts! It brings a smile to my face and we're almost at 500 follows something I used to only imagine about lol.
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!